When fighting for life and love
by AnAustralianGamer
Summary: What happens when a regular join mission go's bad beyond words? A Jaune x Ruby M for the latter parts 0.0
1. The fall

_**Hi people, this is my first RWBY fanfic so i made it about a subject i feel fine writing, Jaune X Ruby. Enjoy!**_

It was meant to be a normal mission, go kill some beowolf's and come back, but no, we had to get attacked by a whole god dam pack of Ursa, two packs of beowolf's and now a seeming invincible death stalker, just fucking great. Jaune Arc thought to himself as he raised his shield to block an incoming attack. The claw of the death stalker hit the shield at full strength, pushing Jaune back a few meters, there where only three people left in the fight, Jaune, acting as the tank because he was the only one that had a shield, Pyrrha was defeated in the first hit, being to tired from the other fights to block in time, Ruby, the ever faithful and strong and beautiful leader of team RWBY, and her elder sister Yang, who seemed to no mater how tired or beat up she gets she always keeps fighting.  
After the unusually powerful death stalker Attacked Jaune, Ruby rushed it determined to make a mark on its hideous shell. Then the unexpected happened, for the first time in the fight the death stalker used its tail, both a powerful weapon and a great weakness. It drove its stinger into Ruby's chest, just nicking her heart. Jaune suddenly felt the world stop, his closest friend and ally is dying in-front of him. Suddenly two auras start raging on the battle field, one of fire and destruction and one of life and protection. Yang moved first, followed by Jaune, Yang attacks the beast head on, using all her aura she can to power up her punches, yet it seems that it has done nothing at all. Jaune had stopped once he had gotten to Ruby, he put his head to her chest, instinctively listening for a heartbeat, it was faint but still beating, he knew he had little time left so he put his hands to the wound and started poring aura into Ruby. When it didn't seem to work Jaune only tried harder, pouring in such amounts of aura that it would kill the most powerful hunter in seconds to lose that much aura. Still it seemed not to work, Jaune knew nothing about healing a wound to the heart, so he did the next best thing, he started infusing his own aura with Ruby's and using both auras reached into Jaunes own heart and took a part of it. Jaune almost passed out from the pain of having a part of your heart taken out, but it moved into the space in-between both hunters in training, there combined aura, a light red, copied the small amount of Jaune's heart and filled the space in both of there chests with this infused aura, giving both hearts full functionality. With Ruby's heart healed with there combined aura Jaune could focus on what he know how to heal, as he poured his aura into both himself and Ruby, heal both chest injures.  
Just as Jaune thought things where looking up Yang was batted aside by the death stalker, clearly annoyed at the brawler. Jaune knew he had to move Ruby out of harms way, he picked her up in one arm and grasped crescent rose with the other. Just as they had started to move the death stalker turned to face them, raised one of its colossal claws and struck at Jaune and Ruby, at the last moment Janue flared his aura to create a shield to protect himself and Ruby, though the impact was strong enough to send them both over the cliff. Releasing what was happening Jaune dropped crescent rose and unstrapped Crocea Mors from his hip and threw it to the side, a bit harder then he meant to, without any sharp objects in the way Jaune used the last of his seemingly endless aura to slow down the impact and guard his back from to much damage. As he grabbed hold of Ruby and held her close to his chest, a single tear leaves his eyes as he hits the ground with a large thump.

**_Yes there was meant to be no dialog_**


	2. The watch

"Wake up, wake up Jaune!" Yelled Ruby as she cried over the limp body of Janue Arc. "Please Janune, don't leave me." Ruby quietly said as she felt a new tide of tears come to her eyes.

Night was falling, Jaune seemed to be dead, and crescent rose was nowhere to be found, Ruby knew she would not survive the night, she was dead already.

Jaune heard a voice, it seemed to be calling to him, welcoming him, it was warm and familiar, Jaune started to head towards it. After what seemed hours of walking Jaune saw a light, not just any light but a light surrounded by his ancestors, all great Arc's each for their own reasons, Jaune felt like he was nothing next to them, then he relised where he was, he was at the gate of heaven with god calling his name, yet his ancestors stood at the gate not letting him past.

"Why?" Jaune asked, his voise soft and seeming to come from everywhere but him.

"Your time is not here yet Jaune Arc" they all say at the same time, voice's in perfect harmony, "You have to live, you have great things ahead of you, love and loss, pain and healing, war and peace." They say in a all-knowing way.

Others have started to gather at the gates of heaven, some heroes of great tails, others common thief's that gave there life for someone they never knew, there where solders and kings, emperors and beggars, all stood side by side watching Jaune being refused peace after he gave his life for another.

"Let him in." said a man in robes of the finest silk's

"He paid the price once already." a beggar called

"Don't make him do once more." A man missing an arm called out.

Soon everyone was in an uprise calling to let him in, but never touching the gate, they were afraid. The Arc family was not. They all grabbed the gate and slammed it shut.

"Why?" Jaune called out once more, everyone fell silent to hear the answer.

"She still needs you." They say plainly.

At the four words his family had said made Jaune panicky "How? How do I leave?" Jaune asked.

This set everyone off, no one had ever wanted to leave before. The Arc's said nothing and just placed a hand over there heart, and with that Jaune knew what to do.

Jaune awoke just as it got dark, Ruby had cried herself to sleep. As Jaune stumbled as he got up, careful not to hit Ruby, who was laying on the ground next to him. As he got up he gave her a soft kiss on the head before moving away from her. Ruby almost awoke from the contact, she cried out for Jaune, having a nightmare about him dying a thousand times. Jaune moved away from her to a small rock outcrop, roughly where crescent rose landed, and there is was, blade stuck into the ground, and the brilliant red reflecting off the moon light. Jaune moved towards it, grabbed its hand grip and pulled it out with ease.

Jaune moved back towards Ruby and softly said to her in her ear. "I am here, and I am going to protect you, I will never leave you."

Once Jaune moved away from the sleeping Ruby his words seemed to penetrate the fog of sleep, Ruby visibly calmed down, nightmare turning into blissful dream. "Jaune, don't leave me." She cried out in her sleep.

"I never will." Jaune answered as Ruby fell into a deep slumber.

Jaune sat on a large rock the whole night, watching over Ruby with crescent rose, ready to kill any Grimm that set foot in his sight.


	3. The truth

_**before i forget, thanks to Fanoren for the help with the last chapter, it's been quite a while since i last started typing a story!**_**_Also, Ruby is in major shock, that would be why she is not at her normal bad-ass self, but that Ruby will return!_**

As the sun slowly rose into the sky Jaune Arc thought to himself, 'What happened to us? I thought we where stronger then that. Defeated my a single death stalker. Have we beem getting weaker? It has been almost a year since we formed our teams, yet I seem to be as weak as ever.'

After the sun had risen and started to shine brightly low in the sky, Ruby woke up. At first she had started to panic, having fallen asleep next to Jaune and now he seems to be missing. "Jaune?" Ruby cried out softly, fear in her voice.

"Present." Jaune called to Ruby.

"Jaune?" Ruby says once more, "How are we still alive? I got stung, and you, you-" Ruby couldn't say anymore, still in shock from the recent near death experience's.

"Everything is going to be fine Ruby." Jaune says with his best smile, but failing quite hard.

Ruby slowly stood up, Jaune moving forwards to help her. Jaune rap's Rubys arm around his shoulders, though he has to bend forwards quite a bit because of the height difference. Ruby started to blush lightly, Jaune had gotten a lot more muscular since the start of the year, and it had been quite a while since Ruby had been allowed to hug Jaune, lest face the wrath of a particular warrior that had a crush on him.

As Jaune helped Ruby to the rock outcrop he was sitting on all last night Ruby asked "What happened Jaune?" Remembering very little about the fight, and what happened afterwards.

"I will tell later, when you are stronger." was Jaunes answer, not compleatly sure what happened himself.

Once they reached the rock outcrop Jaune sat Ruby down next to Cressent Rose. Ruby instantly graped her scythe/sniper and hugged it tight, Jaune secretly wished Ruby would hug him like that, though he would never admit it, not even to himself, Ruby was only two years younger, but that two years made her 15, and in Jaunes books 15 was to young to start dating.

"Here, you need to eat." Jaune said has he pulled out some dried fruit, Jaune always got lost so he made sure to always carry a week's worth of dried food on him. "There is also a small spring just behind the rocks, it's clean, trust me." Jaune said with a smile, oviusly haven already taken a drink and not gotten sick.

"T-thank you" Ruby said while blushing, not only had Jaune saved her life, or so she thinks, her memory's are a bit fuzzy, but had then protected her throughout the night, given her some of his food, and already tested the water. Jaune may not be that smartest of people, but he was one of the most caring

"I am going to look for Crocea Mors" Jaune says as he starts to move towards where he threw his weapon, a bit harder then he planed to.

"Wait!" Ruby shouted a bit louder then she meant to. "Umm, I mean let me come with you, what if you run into some Grimm, you don't have a weapon."

Jaune sighed and moved towards Ruby and put her arm around Jaune once more, but this time Jaune also put his hand on her hip to help support her. This trip would take a lot longer this time. Ruby Blushed at where Jaunes had was, fully knowing he didn't mean to make a move, but still enjoying the feel off his hand on her hip.

As Jaune and Ruby move towards where Crocea Mors had fallen Ruby had decided to start up a conversation. "Hey Jaune, can i ask you something?"

"Sure." Jaune replied

"Do you think everyone else survived?" Ruby said with worry in her voise.

Though Jaune wanted to say yes, he could never lie to Ruby "No." Jaune said with sorrow in his voice.

Ruby then started to softly cry, she knew the answer already, but she didn't want to face it. Jaune tightened his grip on Ruby's hip, moved in-front of her and moved both his hands around her. Ruby warped her arms around Jaunes mid section and allowed herself to cry into his chest.


	4. The first fight

_**well, i just found out the RWBY fangame is now playable link: /RWBY/**_

After Ruby had settled down Jaune and Ruby set forwards once more in search of Crocea Mors, Jaune's sword and shield/stealth. The walk was very quite after Ruby's breakdown, but both of them enjoyed it to an extent, after all they thought there friends where dead.

After an hour of walking Jaune spotted something shining in the distance, it was Crocea Mors, it fell blade down into a rock, making it look a lot like the legendary blade Excalibur shining bright in the sunlight. The shield was laying next to the rock, slightly bent, meaning it would not be able to return to its stealth mode, though the middle of the shield still works as a stealth.

Jaune let go of Ruby's hip, knowing that she didn't need his help to stand anymore, and moved up to his sword."Here go's nothing." Jaune said as he grabbed his sword with both hands and pulled it out of the rock.

Ruby couldn't help but blush at Jaune as he pulled his sword out, he looked like a legendary hero of old, pulling the sword Excalibur out of the stone. Jaune had a bit of trouble at first, so when he managed to pull it out with one final tug he ended up accidentally ended up raising it above his head and the light then reflect off the sword into a bunch of different directions, making it seem like the sword had magic powers. Ruby blushed even more at this.

Jaune retrieved his shield from next to the rock and slid his sword down the spine, his great great grandpa had always been one to think ahead. "Are you ready to head back?" Jaune asked Ruby, she only nodded, still blushing lightly. She always knew Jaune would be a hero, she just didn't expect him to be her hero.

"Do you think we will make it back?" Ruby asked as they started walking back to camp.

"Yes, though we will have to wait for someone to find us, i don't think we would survive the trip back." Jaune answers.

"What if we get attacked?"

"I don't know, we run if we can, if we cannot then we fight."

"O-ok" Ruby stutters a bit, afraid of having to fight more Grimm with only the scythe mode of Crescent Rose, having ran out of ammo fighting the giant Death Stalker.

Just as the duo got back to the small camp they saw a group of black Grimm moving about the camp. The small pack of Beowolfs, even from the distance Jaune and Ruby where at they could see that there was only five of them, and they looked halve dead from starvation. "Jaune, should we run?" Ruby asks reaching for Crescent Rose.

"Nah, look at them, they look dead already, i say we fight them off, and if we kill them it may deter any more Grimm from attacking us." Jaune answered, knowing Grimm would always keep attacking no matter how many of them died.

They both pulled out there weapons and charged at the Grimm, hopeing to get an early advantage. Due to the Beowolf's unnatural hearing they heard them as soon as they started running and turned to face the two would be hunters.

Ruby attacked first due to her being the faster of the two, she struck at the closest Beowolf, it tried to move away but was hit in the side, though not dead was badly injured and unable to fight.

Jaune was up next, running past Ruby and charging at one of the faster reacting beowolfs that had already began to charge at the pair. It struck at Jaune but he moved his shield up to block it. lifting his shield up with the beowolf claw still on it Jaune made the beowolf show him its underbelly. Jaune then stabbed his sword through the beast's heart, killing it in one strike.

With one dead and one out of the battle things stated to look up for the pair of hunters in training. The both charged once more, easily killing two more of the weak beowolfs, the last beowolf was not even fazed by the death of his pack, this beowolf was much larger then the others, and more fed, though still quite starved.

Jaune Charged at the last beowolf hopeing for an easy kill, the beowolf moved out of the way of Jaune's overhand strike with ease, it then struck at Jaune. Jaune tried to flare his aura to protect him, yet he felt no aura come to his aid. Jaune was struck in the chest by the beast, Ruby quickly took his place while Jaune thanked the heavenly force that he was wearing chest armor. It took Ruby a few strikes to kill the best, she then ran over to Jaune and said "Jaune? are you ok?" fear was creeping into her voice one more.

"I am fine, I think." Jaune replied, thoroughly confused as to why he could not access his aura.

"Thats good." Ruby said, some of her cheer returning to her voice.

Ruby stuck her hand out to help Jaune up, he gladly accepted her help.

"There you go vomit boy." Ruby says to Jaune, remembering how Jaune had helped Ruby up on the first day.

"Crater face." Jaune replied with a smile.

The dynamic duo spent the rest of the day talking and eating a little amount of Jaune's food. After the sun had set the two climbed one of the few nearby trees and tried to get some sleep.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked in her most sweet voice.

"Yes Ruby?" Jaune replied

"Would you mind if we slept together?" Ruby said softly

"I don't mind at all." was Jaune's reply

Ruby got up from her branch and climbed over to Jaune's branch, it was slightly lower then her old one and a bit larger. Ruby sat is Jaune's lap and rested her head on his shoulder, Jaune was glad he had already removed his armor. Jaune rapped his arms around Ruby's midsection and pulled her closer to him, both for warmth and because he couldn't bear it if he lost this girl. they both fell to sleep quickly, feeling safe in the embrace they shared.


	5. The dream-full kiss

Roughly an hour before the sun was to rise Jaune Are awoke from a peaceful slumber. At first Jaune was surprised to find his arms wrapped around the smaller figure of Ruby, but had quickly remembered how Ruby had asked if they could sleep together last night. Jaune smiled at how easily what Ruby had asked could have been taken out of context. Feeling a cold bit of wind blow over him and Ruby, Jaune pulled Ruby closer so that she would not get cold, or at least that's what he told himself.

As Jaune sat there cuddling Ruby in her sleep his mind started to wander to the past year and all its ups and downs. He remembered back to when Cardin had been bullying others, man has he changed Jaune thought. Ever since Jaune had saved Cardin he had slowly changed from being a bully to helping others, and he had started by saying sorry to Velvet. Jaune smiled as he remembered the time he had caught Cardin and Velvet kissing behind the school, that was a good day for Jaune.  
Jaune let his mind wander to one of the most surprising days I the past year, the day when he found out Pyrrha had come out and said she was a bisexual, needless to say Jaune seemed to be the only one surprised by this. In fact it was that same day only a few hours later that Ren had pulled Jaune aside and asked if Jaune knew beforehand, and when he had replied no Ren had asked a really odd question Jaune thought to himself. Ren had asked him if he knew why Pyrrha was a bisexual and not a lesbian, Jaune had been quite confused by this question until Ren explained that Pyrrha liked Jaune, naturally Jaune had been completely oblivious to this fact and had shrugged it off, though it still gnawed at his thoughts at times.

Jaune had decided to move to better thoughts then that confusing day. Jaune let his mind wander to Valentine's day, what a day it had been. That day it seemed like everyone had gotten a Valentine but him. Ren and Nora had gotten each other something and had come out as a couple, though everyone had already known that they were, even Jaune. Blake and Sun had gotten each other something. Pyrrha had gotten a few gifts. Yang had gotten a lot of gifts. Even Weiss got a gift, though there was no name on it, obviously this admirer didn't want to get castrated. At first Jaune had even figured Ruby had gotten something, though it just turned out she was just eating Yang's chocolates, turns out if anyone thought of giving Ruby chocolates Yang would beat the crap out of them. When Ruby had told this to Jaune he dragged Ruby into town and brought her a box of chocolates and a teddy bear with a heart on it. Yang had almost killed him thinking he was hitting on Ruby instead of trying to cheer her up. Jaune had earned a kiss on the cheek from Ruby once he had gotten out of hospital.

As Jaune was going through his memories, most of which he shared with Ruby, he had started to pull Ruby closer and closer. Soon he had pulled Ruby a bit to close and had woken her up.

"Good morning Jaune" Ruby had said sweetly as she then noticed that her and Jaune where cuddling and her face became as red as her namesake.

"Good morning Ruby" Jaune said smiling at Ruby's massive blush, and remembering his simular reaction. "The sun is about to rise" Just as Jaune had said this the first rays of dawn had come over the horizon.

As both of the teens watched the sun lazily rise into the sky something seemed to change. Jaune looked down at Ruby and found her staring into his eyes.

"Hey Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"Yes?" Jaune replied.

Ruby suddenly when to kiss Jaune. Jaune was completely oblivious as to what Ruby was doing until the last moment turned his head away and Ruby ended up kissing his cheek. Once Ruby had realised what Jaune had done she became very confused. Ruby had closed her eyes once she had felt tears starting to come and pushed herself away from Jaune.

Just as she was about to run away from Jaune Ruby felt something wrap around her midsection and pull her close. It was Jaune, Just as Ruby was about to push away once more she felt something soft on her lips. Ruby figured it was Jaune. The pair of hunters in training kissed passionately for what seemed to be forever. Then Ruby saw everything slip away as she woke up from her dream.

As Ruby woke up she saw Jaune and said sweetly "Good morning Jaune" and then noticed that her and Jaune where cuddling and her face became as red as her namesake.

"Good morning Ruby" Jaune said smiling at Ruby's massive blush, and remembering his similar reaction. "The sun is about to rise" Just as Jaune had said this the first rays of dawn had come over the horizon.

As both of the teens watched the sun lazily rise into the sky something seemed to change. Jaune looked down at Ruby and found her staring into his eyes.

"Hey Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"Yes?" Jaune replied.

"N-nothing" Ruby studded her face going even redder.

"Ok" Jaune said with a bit of confusion.

"I am going to see if I can find some food around here, even just some berries will do" Ruby said quickly changing the topic.

"That's good" Jaune said still cuddling as the pair watched the sun rise overhead.

_**Don't kill me**_


	6. the confession

**_Blame Darkblaze40 for getting me internet high while editing and typing the last paragraph of this chapter, enjoy!_**

Soon after the sun had risen from behind the mountains Ruby, much to her and Jaune's displeasure, climbed out of the embrace they shared and jumped out of the tree. Jaune followed suite, though with little success, as he fell out of the tree instead of jumping out of it.

"Good work Jaune" Ruby said as she giggled at Jaune falling on his face.

"Thanks" Jaune replied, voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Anytime!" Ruby said with her normal happy voice.

"So? Where are we going to be looking for food?" Jaune asked Ruby.

Ruby looked around before pointing in a random direction and said "This way!"

Ruby started walking off in the direction she had pointed at with Jaune following behind. At first the walk to find food was in silence, though soon Ruby had started chatting away about random things to Jaune, who glad for the normal conversation, was happy to talk back. Then came the question Jaune was dreaded, yet knew he would have to answer.

"Jaune? What happened after the Death Stalker stung me?" Ruby said as she stopped walking and looked Jaune directly in the eyes.

June couldn't meet Ruby's eyes as he answered. For some reason he felt embarrassed by what he had done, yet he gave Ruby a full explanation.

"Well Ruby" Jaune started. "Here is what happened, or what I think happened" Jaune said quite embarrassed. "First you charged the Death Stalker head on after I blocked one of its attacks. The Death Stalker then used its stinger for the first time in the battle." Jaune stopped for a moment to compose himself after remembering Ruby almost dying.

"And?" Ruby asked in a soft voice, wanting to know what happened next.

Jaune moved closer to Ruby and moved some tattered parts of her shirt out of the way to show a large scar that Ruby hadn't noticed before now. "You got stung and almost died. I used my aura to save you. The Death Stalker then attacked us and I used my aura to shield us from its attack, but it knocked us over the edge. I tried to soften the landing using my aura." Jaune explained leaving out the fact that Jaune used his aura to copy the wound and inflict it on himself so he could figure out how to heal Ruby. Jaune also left out the fact he had died in the fall.

Ruby was awestruck. Nobody had ever gone so far out of their way to protect her, not even Yang. Yang would just get angry and kill whatever had hurt her before even thinking of saving her. Ruby had decided then there that she would kiss Jaune. Ruby started to mentally prepare herself to kiss Jaune, the knight the stole her heart.

Jaune was having similar thoughts. While he was retelling the story he realized something. He loved Ruby Rose. Jaune Arc was in love with Ruby Rose. Jaune didn't care that Ruby was two years younger than him, he loved her and decided to tell her, and what better time than now? They might not live to tomorrow.

Just as Ruby had prepared herself to kiss Jaune he said something that made her heart stop. "Ruby Rose, I love you." This made Ruby freeze up in a happy shock. Jaune took it the wrong way.

Once Jaune had said the three words he waited for Rubys response, there was none. Jaune felt the sting of tears come to his eyes as Ruby didn't respond after a few seconds. Jaune stood up and started to walk back to camp until Ruby called "Jaune wait!" but Jaune ignored her and started to run back.

As Ruby saw Jaunes retreating back she felt tears come to her. She had been so happy moments ago then she saw the pain on Jaunes face and realized he took her silence the wrong way. Ruby fell to her knees, she thought she was useless. Ruby curled up into a ball and told herself she would not cry, and yet the tears come.


	7. A real kiss

As Jaune got back to the camp and sat on the rock outcrop. As Jaune waited for Ruby he decided to start trying to use his aura, maybe him not being able to use it was just a onetime thing? Jaune then spent the next hour trying to use his aura with no successes. After Jaune noticed Ruby had not come back he started to get worried.

"Where is she?" Jaune asked to himself as he paced the camp. "I'm going to go look for her" Jaune decided out loud.

Ruby was sitting with her back to a random tree hugging her knees. It had been about an hour and Jaune had not come back for her. Ruby shook her head and said out loud "I guess he must hate me now."

Just as Ruby had finished talking a Ursa Minor and Major came out of the forest, both quite skinny. Ruby didn't even move at they started to walk up to her. She didn't care, the only person she had left is her uncle Crow, and he is a thousand kilometres away.

Jaune was running through the forest as fast as he can without his aura, which thanks to Pyrrha's training was still quite fast. Jaune soon broke through into the small clearing where Jaune had told Ruby how he saw Ruby sitting with her back to a tree with her eyes closed as a Ursa minor and major slowly walked up to her to eat her. Jaune moved before he knew what he was doing.

He drew his sword as he ran, not bothering with his shield yet. Jaune ran without a war cry as he hoped to catch them by surprise. Jaune had reached the Ursa minor and jumped onto its back and quickly shoved his sword into the back of its neck, killing it almost instantly. As the minor fell the major noticed Jaune

Jaune quickly got his shield ready and gave a glance to Ruby, she still had her eyes closed awaiting death. Jaune turned his attention back to the battle just in time to block a strike by the major. Jaune knew how to deal with a Ursa Major, block or move out of the way of every attack, then attack yourself. So that's what Jaune did, every time the Ursa attacked Jaune ducked, rolled or blocked then attacked. Soon Jaune had worked down the Ursa and could go for the killing blow.

Ruby awaited the Ursa's attack, but after a while it did not come. It was taking too long, did the Ursi get distracted by something else? Was she so pitiful that even death did not want her? Ruby slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Jaune beheading an Ursa major.

Jaune looked at Ruby once he had beheaded the Ursa. What he saw was the smaller girl running towards him her arms out wide. Jaune dropped his sword and shield and embraced Ruby.

"I thought you hatted me" Ruby said with her head in Jaunes chest

"I could never hate you. I love you too much" Jaune replied putting his head on top of Ruby's

Ruby moved her head up causing Jaune to look down into her silver eyes and her into his blue eyes. Ruby got on her tippy toes and gave a light kiss on the lips to the knight. Needless to say Jaune was completely shocked at this but quickly returned the kiss.

The pair stood there for a while before Ruby broke away and said "Jaune I love you." Jaune closed the small gap Ruby had made and kissed her lightly.

"Let's head back" Jaune said taking Ruby's hand and leading her back to camp. Once back the couple ate some more of Jaune's food and spent the rest if the day cuddling and giving each other light kisses.


	8. Rabbit stew

After a few days of looking for food, sharing soft kisses, and talking about anything they could, Jaune and Ruby ran out of food. At first they hadn't worried that much, surely they could find some food soon. They didn't.

"Jaune, I'm so hungry." Ruby complained to Jaune.

"I know Ruby, I'm hungry as well, I am sure we will find food soon." Jaune replies, his stomach growling.

After a few hours of walking Ruby spotted a rabbit. She put her hand on Jaunes chest to stop him from walking and making noise. "Rabbit!" Ruby says excited whisper. She pulls out Crescent Rose and uses her semibalance to reach the rabbit before it can run. Ruby brings down her Crescent Rose down on the rabbit She chopped it in halve, ruining most of the meat in the process.

"I got it!" Ruby shout excitedly jumping in the air in excitement.

"You ruined it!" Jaune cry's out in pain as the sight of the destroyed rabbit.

"Sorry." Ruby said softly, having completely destroyed the only food they had found since they fell from the cliff.

"Is ok Ruby. I can still make it into a stew, though it won't be very filling it will stop us from staving." Jaune said reassuring Ruby she hadn't killed them. Ruby perks back up to her normal self. Jaune collects the remains of the rabbit and starts to head back to camp. Ruby skips after him.

Soon Jaune and Ruby had reached the camp. "So, how are we going to cook it?" Ruby asks.

"I was thinking we could hollow out a rock with Crescent Rose. We then fill it with water and cook it over a fire. The only problem is we don' have a fire." Jaune said the last bit shaking his head, Jaune and Ruby had always kept each other warm during the night, wrapping Ruby's clock around them.

"Ok, I will start on the pot. You can start the fire." Ruby said hurrying off to find a suitable rock before Jaune could object.

Jaune sighs before putting the rabbit away in-between two rocks and heads off to find some sticks. Luckily there was a large dead tree nearby, Jaune collected a bunch of sticks and twigs and put them in a group. Jaune then pulled out his flint and steel, Jaune knows what to pack encase he gets lost, and try's to start the fire without any proper kindling.

Ruby was having much more success. She had already found a good sized rock and had pulled out Crescent Rose. Ruby put the blade to the middle of the rock and began to chip away at it, bit by bit. Soon a nice hole had been made in the middle of the rock. It was a bit jiggered but it would do. Ruby decided to check up on Jaune.

"Jaune!" Ruby called out from behind him. Jaune Jumped and put out the small fire he had created.

"Ruby!" Jaune cried in desperation for the second time that day.

"Sorry." Ruby had said sadness in her voice.

"It's ok, it would have when out anyway, I can't start a fire." Jaune explains.

"Give them here." Ruby says holding out her hand for the flint and steel.

Jaune gives them to her without saying a word. Ruby puts the pot off to the side and removes most of the sticks Jaune they in and placed the remaining ones in a tepee like structure. Ruby then grabbed some dry grass from nearby and put it in the middle. Ruby then struck the flint and steel a few time and the grass caught alight. Soon the sticks caught alight as well and as Ruby added bigger and bigger sticks the fire grew.

"That's amazing!" Jaune exclaimed. Pulling Ruby into an embrace.

"It's just practice" Ruby said blushing at Jaune's affection.

Jaune lets go of Ruby and grabs the pot and runs over to fill it up with water. Once Jaune starts to fill it up with water he noticed that it had a bunch of sharp bits on the inside. Jaune grabs a small smooth rock and quickly works away the sharpest edges. It takes him five minutes before he heard Ruby call for him. Jaune throws the smaller rock away from him and fills the rock now pot up with water and rushes back to the fire.

Ruby had already gotten the rabbit from the rocks and started to skin the two halves. Jaune picked up the one that was already done and started to cut away the meat with his sword, the shield was still broken. Jaune cut away the meat with skill, Ruby had set the fur out to dry. Jaune put the meat in the water and put the pot on the fire, it was now a very good size. The meal would not be that big, but it would give them some energy.

Jaune sat down next to the fire, bathing in its warmth. Ruby decided to sit in his lap. Jaune wrapped his arms around Ruby's waist and kissed her on the cheek. "We make a good team." Jaune says to Ruby.

"We sure do." Ruby turns her head and kisses Jaune. Ruby then snuggles into Jaunes lap and watches the fire. After about an hour and a halve of this the food was cooked and Jaune had to get the pot off the fire.

Jaune kept nudging at Ruby before she finally gave up and moved so Jaune could get the food. Jaune took off his armour and his hoody. Jaune used his hoody to get the pot off the fire and sit it nearby. Jaune got dressed but not before Ruby had caught sight of his ever-growing muscles. Ruby blushed at this sight.

"W-we don't have bowls." Ruby said trying to distract herself from her unusual thoughts.

"Your right." Jaune said shaking his head. Jaune grabs his broken shield that his laying nearby and pours halve the soup into it. "Now we do" Jaune says happily, somehow the shield does not leak the soup out. Jaune eats out of his shield while Ruby get's the pot.

Ruby grabs two sharp sticks and gives one to Jaune. "Bonaparte." Ruby says cheerfully.

"It's bon appetite Ruby." Jaune says trying to hide a laugh.

"No its not." Ruby says, denying that she was wrong. History was never Ruby's strong point, or maths, English or anything that didn't involve fighting monsters. Jaune on the other hand was the exact opposes. Jaune was great at all subjects, except anything to do with monster hunting. But that doesn't mean he was bad at his subjects, no, he just scrapes the bottom of the barrel, he was doing good in the start of the year, then they really started pouring on the work.

"Let's just eat." Jaune says, knowing he cannot beat Ruby in an argument.

They both skewer the small chunks of meat on their sticks and take a bite at the same time.

"It's ok." Ruby says.

"It's terrible." Jaune counters.

"Ok, your right it is terrible." Ruby says taking another bite.

"It's the best we have." Jaune says eating the food as fast as he can.

Once Ruby and Jaune had eaten Jaune went and cleaned his shield and the pot while Ruby tended to the fire. Soon Jaune returned from the spring and sat next to Ruby by the fire, she instantly moved onto his lap. Jaune wrapped his arms around Ruby's waist and they sat like they did while the food was cooking.

"I plan on giving up on becoming a hunter after we get back." Ruby said suddenly. Her voice emotionless as she gives up her dream.

Jaune hugged Ruby closer as he said "I cannot give up on being a hunter."

"Why?" Ruby questioned, Jaune remembers when he asked his family the same thing.

"Because, I need to know how to protect people, how to not be useless." Jaune answered. "And I need to know how to protect you." Jaune said this last bit looking in Ruby's sliver eyes.

Ruby slowly and passionately kissed Jaune. Once they broke apart Ruby said "You don't need to protect me silly, I know how to handle myself."

"I know you can handle yourself, but what happens if you get sick? Or something out of your control happened?" Jaune said, his eyes falling to the ground.

"Then I guess my knight in shining armor will just have to come save me." Ruby replied, wrapping her cloak around Jaune and herself.

Soon Ruby had fallen asleep in the arms of her boyfriend, and Jaune lacking the strength to carry Ruby up a tree with one arm decided he didn't want to wake her up, so Jaune also fell to sleep in the warmth of Ruby, Ruby's cloak and the fire.


End file.
